Apparatus for the fluid treatment of filaments



May 22, 1956 N. DRISCH ET AL 2,745,281

APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF FILAMENTS Filed April 22, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS N/COLAJ file/sch Roan/v0 Beg-7 .1w

A TTOR NE Y May 22, 1956 N. DRISCH ET AL 2,746,281

APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF FIL-AMENTS Filed April 22, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent APE'ARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF FILAMENTS Nicolas Drisch and Roland Brepson, Paris, France, as-

signors, by. mesne assignments, to Societe Clumiotex, Tangiers, Morocco, a corporation of Morocco Application April 22, 1953, Serial No. 350,332

Claims priority, application France April 30,1952

3 Claims. (Cl. 68-205) This invention relates to apparatus for treating artificial filaments and more particularly to apparatus for washing filaments under controlled tension.

In the production of. artificial filaments and the like by the extrusion of a filament forming liquid into a coagulating bath, the filaments are customarily washed after they have beenwound to form a package. Alternatively, the filaments are washedand subjected to other treatments before being Wound. It is also common practice to stretch the filament'before it is completely set and-dried.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus in which the-washing of the filaments may be readily per: formed while the tension of the filaments is controlled prior to winding either to maintain the existing tension in the filament until the filament has set (the filament in such circumstances being neither stretched nor allowed to contract) or to stretch the filament. to a desired exent.

According to this invention the apparatus comprises a pairof similar roller assemblesarranged side by side with their axes slightly inclined to one another and around which the filament is passed severaltimes, each assembly comprising a conical roller and a co-axial cylindrical roller at the larger end of the conical roller, the rollers being so arranged that with rotation of the assemblies the filament travels around the roller assemblies in a series of loops from the narrow ends of the conical rollers to the cylindrical rollers and axially along the latter, means for directing a washin g liquid on to the travelling filament and means for collecting the liquid after the washing operation.

The invention also provides improved arrangements for driving the roller assemblies, for carrying the washing liquid away from the assemblies and for adjusting the inclination of the axes of the assemblies. These, and other features, of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus for treating viscose rayon filaments in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrow II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 showing, on a larger scale, certain details of construction; and

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the parts of the apparatus provided for adjusting the inclination of the axes of the roller assemblies.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of roller assemblies, generally indicated by the reference numerals 5 and 6, are mounted in a frame 7 for rotation about horizontal axes a, b, the upper assembly 5 first receiving, from a coagulating bath (not shown), a filament 8 which passes to assembly 6 and thence to a winding device.

The assemblies 5 and 6 are similar and each comprises a conical roller 9 and a coaxial hollow cylindrical roller 10, the larger end of roller 9 fitting within roller 10 and being spaced therefrom to form an annular passageway 11 'ice 2 (Fig. 2) for a purpose later described; One end-of: the roller 10 isclosed by a plate 12 having a-ring of holes 13 which place passageway 11 in communication with the space in back of the roller 10.

The assemblies 5 and 6 are mounted in a vertical dished casing made of anacid-resistant material,.for examplea hard lead, the casing comprising a backingplate 14 and edge flanges 15 upstanding therefrom. The flanges 15 are of such height that ready access maybe hadto the assemblies 5 and 6. The lowermost edge of the dished casing has a drain 16. An arcuate deflector plate 17 overlies the upper portion of assembly 6 (Fig. 2),.the plate beingintegral with backingplate 14.

The frame 7 supports the assemblies 5 and6-and carries the driving means therefor. The frame comprises acover plate is spaced from, and attached to, backingplate14by posts 19. The frame supports a driving shaft 20which carries spur gears 21, 22 ofwhich gear 21 meshes with gears 23 and gear 22 with gears 24.- The gears 23 are pro vided to drive rollers 10 of the assemblies 5,- 6- and gears 24drive the rollers 9 of the assemblies as will now be more fully described with reference to Fig. 3.

For each roller. assembly 5, 6 the roller 9- is secured to 'a' spindle 25 for which purpose aflanged ring-26is attached by a key 27 to the shaft and the-roller 9 is grippedbetween a packing piece 28 and a washer 29which is clamped to the hub of the. roller. 9-by a cap screw 30 mounted-on shaft 251 The spindle 25 passes. through a tubular shaft31 and its lower end is supported by a ball or roller bearing 32carried in a closed housing 33 attached to'the frame 7. The tubular shaft31. constitutes a journal bearin'g for the spindle 25. The shaft is supported in a journal bearing 34 carried by a casing 35 locatedbetween cover plate -18 and backing plate 14. Sealing rings 36-, 37 prevent-admission of liquid between spindle 25 and shaft 31 and around the latter within casing 35. The plate 12 of each roller 10 has a boss 38 which is secured-to shaft'31 by a pin 39' so that the roller'is driven with the shaft. Gear 23 is keyed, at 40,.to the shaft-31 andgear 24- is keyed,- at 41, to'spindle 25 so that the rollers 9 and 10 of each assembly 5, 6 is driven from shaft 20.

The housing 33 is closed by a cover piece 42 having a connector 43 for a pipe (not shown) by which lubricant is delivered to the chamber to lubricate bearing 32. The spindle 25 may have helical grooves to carry lubricant to the bearing surfaces between the spindle and shaft 31. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 3, a passageway 44 through spindles 25 carries lubricant to crossways 45 and thence to said bearing surfaces and the shaft 31 has radial holes 46 for conveying lubricant to bearing 34.

The apparatus described so far operates as follows: The filament 8 is passed several times around the assemblies 5, 6 which are driven from shaft 20 and with rotation of the assemblies the filament travels around the assemblies in a series of loops from the narrow ends of rollers 9 towards the rollers 10 and axially along the latter, the filament being first received by roller 9 of assembly 5 and delivered from roller 10 of assembly 6. The assemblies 5, 6 are driven by the common shaft 20 and rollers 9 and 10 of each assembly are separately driven. In this way by suitably selecting the driving ratio to the rollers 9, 10 both assemblies can be caused to rotate at the same speed, in which case, by arranging that the travel lasts for at least three seconds or covers a path of at least three meters, the internal stresses of the thread are relaxed, as se forth in British patent specification No. 652,645 (U. S. Patent No. 2,591,243). Alternatively, both rollers 10 may be driven at the same speed which is greater than the speed of rollers 9 so that the filament is stretched when passing from rollers 9 to rollers 10.

While the tension of the filament is controlled as described itis treated with a washing liquid (for example, water) which is directed from a nozzle 47 (as shown by the arrow) across the rollers 9 of assemblies 5, 6, the liquid being carried axially overthe outer surface of the conical rollers andthrough annular passageway 11 tothe interior of rollersIO. Accordingly the liquid does not act on the filament on the cylindrical rollers. 'Ihe liquid is discharged through holes 13 and passes down backing plate 14 to the drain 16 and is conveyed away by a gutter 48.

The liquid leaving assembly 5 is deflected away from the lower assembly 6 by the plate 17.

In order to vary the inclination of the axes of the roller assembly 6 the arrangement of Fig. 4 is provided. The casing 35 and the spindle 25 and shaft 31 which it carries, together with the driving gear therefor, is mounted on a pivot 49 which passes through plate 50 secured to the frame 1 so that the casing and assembly 6 may be tilted. A nut 51 when tightened holds the casing againsttilting movement and the pivot 49 carries an 'arm 52 which in cooperation with a scale 53 on plate 54 indicates the extent of the inclination or tilt of the assembly 6. The pivotal axis passes centrally between the planes of gears 23, 24. The tips of the teeth of the gears of the adjustable assembly are suitably curved to permit tilting of the gears While they remain in mesh.

The maximum variation permitted by the arrangement of Fig. 4 is relatively small, for example 7 and may be as small as 34. As will be evident from Fig. 1 the tilting axis of the assembly 6 is vertical.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for controlling the tension of artificial filaments which comprises a pair of roller assemblies arranged side by side With their axes slightly inclined to one another, each assembly comprising a conical roller and a coaxial hollow cylindrical roller, the larger end of the conical roller being disposed within the hollow cylindrical roller and spaced therefrom to leave an annular passageway therebetween with the smaller end of the conical roller projecting beyond the cylindrical roller to receive the filaments for stretching, a hollow shaft carrying each cylindrical roller, a spindle extending through said shaft and carrying the conical roller, independent driving gears carried by each shaft and spindle for separately driving the various rollers and a common drive shaft having gears driving all of said first gears, the rollers being so arranged that, upon rotation of the assemblies, the filament travels around the two roller assemblies in a series of loops passing from the narrow ends of the conical rollers to the cylindrical rollers and axially along the latter, means for directing a washing liquid onto the travelling filament on the conical rollers to feed along the surface thereof and into said annular passageway within the cylindrical rollers, said roller assemblies being mounted in a dished casing adapted to receive the washing liquid after its passage over the conical rollers, the end of each cylindrical roller remote from the conical roller being closed by a plate having holes for the discharge of the liquid, and a drain communicating with said casing to carry the liquid away.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the roller assemblies are mounted for rotationabout substantially horizontal axes, the dished casing is substantially vertical with the drain at the lowermost edge thereof,.and there is provided an arcuate deflection plate overlying the lower roller assembly for deflecting the liquid which is discharged from the upper assembly away from the lower assembly and towards'the drain.

3. In an apparatus as claimed 'in claim 1, a frame, bearing means carrying the second of said roller assemblies pivotally supported in said frame for adjustment of the relative inclination of the axes of the roller assemblies, and means to lock said bearing means against pivotal movements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,294,902 Gram Sept. 8, 1942 2,346,696 Moritz Apr. 18, 1944 2,439,829 Tippetts Apr. 20, 1948 2,541,149 Birkenhauer Feb. 13, 1951 2,616,155 Kuljian NOV. 4, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 49,674 France Feb. 2, 1939 

